Quick build?

[1to1scale]

So I am laying here in bed at 12:15 am, and I was looking at Ernie’s quick build F-5F, and the thought popped into my head, how quick is quick? 

I remember when I was a wee teen, building Monogram kits in the basement, and I would usually crank out a kit in a few hours. Once I was building with paint, I was still cranking out kits in a day, later when I started using spray paints and painting more advanced camo, like an SEA Phantom or Thud, I was finishing models in a matter of 2-3 days.

Now I spent 3 hours filling seams and sanding alone. So,I started thinking, what does everyone consider a speedbuild? Here are my thoughts: I think a speed build would be two full weekends, since I rarely have time during the week, the best I could do was a couple hours on Friday nights, maybe 3-4 hours on Sat and Sunday each, so that would give me approximately 20 hours for two full weekends. What could I build?

The more I think about it, if you build a good fitting kit with minimal seam filling and sanding, or perhaps a kit that was engineered to there are very few seams at all. You would have to build it out of the box, no resin, no PE, no masks, maybe a set of time savers, like a Yahu panel, One piece wheels, pre painted PE belts would help. A single or two color paint helps.

So far, the only kit I built that would qualify would be the Hasegawa KI-84. Not to say others would not work, but I definately would exclude the Hasegawa P-40 due to all the seam work. Most Tamiyas just have too many pieces, but I thought about the F-15, if you built it stock cockpit and and all the panels closed, you really only have 3 major colors, and some detail painting in the cockpit. the E model is all one color outside, so it might be possible for a two weekend build. 

My thoghts for quick box stock builds:

Tamiya F-15E (no seams, simple kit for its size, easy assembly, single color paint)

Hasegawa Ki-84 (great fit, no filler,just a little seam sanding)

Hasegawa Ki-44 (great fit, no filler,just a little seam sanding)

Revell Bell H-13H (no seams, all tubes, this could be a one weekend kit!)

Hasegawa BF-109F-4 trop (one color, good fit)

 

So what do you guys think, what kits go together with minimal seams and sanding, minimal pieces, and fit together with drama?

[GazzaS]

Only 3 hours to fill and sand?  In 1/32?  I must be buying the wrong kits.

Things just take longer now.  I expect better of myself.   I even let the paint dry...lol

 

Gaz

[DocRob]

There is an old saying in German, which is kind of a motto for me and I don't know, if the translation does it justice "the more wrong the direction, the more senseless the tempo" . 

Seriously (more or less), where is the benefit of fastness, I enjoy the building and painting process most, it's what gives me satisfaction. After finalization of a project I loose interest in the thing, take some photos and would not display my kits. As you can see, speed is of no importance to me, as it drives me to the point of choosing a new subject even faster. You are right, building kits some decades ago was a real speedy process of a day or two, but what if you do a quick build now, with no backup information, just oob and present it here. You will get a zillion responses, where the small errors are hidden for your subject, flown by a certain pilot on a special occasion, with fading daylight .

Just my 2 Cents

Cheers Rob

[Bill_S]

I think any of the new tool Hasegawa Japanese fighters would work for you. In addition to the Ki-84 and Ki-44, the J2M3 and N1K2 are great kits!

[Peterpools]

In the 1950’s all my modeling was speed builds. I loved Revell and Monogram and from what I remember, it never took more then a few hours to build and finish a model with brush painting and decaling.  A lot of the kits weren’t even painted and they were easily under an hour. The fun was just building in my room and I never saw: seams, glue stains and flash. Kits were also under a dollar if I remember correctly. So long ago. 

A speed build today would be a whole lot different as we all see those nasties. But a quick, enjoyable, relaxing and fun build over a weeked would be great. Scale: 1/72 Day 1: build straight out of the box. Seams filled with CCA,  sanded and primed. 

Day 2: Paint with quick drying gloss paints: Mr Color. Decal and finish.

My guess: two full days at the bench.

Maybe we should give it a try

Peter

[Clunkmeister]

To me a quick build is 24 hours on the bench, completely OOB except maybe for belts an decals.

That oftentimes can mean a couple weeks to a month for me, depending on free time, of which I have very little. 

The F-5 is a recharger of the batteries for me. I was getting a bit burned out.

Some can build quicker, not me.  

[harv]

Me? A quick build would be u der a year, really.....harv

[Grunhertz]

The hasegawa kits generally are shake and bake as would be the tamiya F15 but would you be happy building it out of the box? 

[Peterpools]

Harv

Does it count if it’s a leap year? 

Peter

[harv]

No. That's a different story, lol.....harv

[BlrwestSiR]

My current record and it wasn't something I was trying for but just happened is 13 days from start to finish. This was on the recent Revell Spitfire II kit. I worked on it in between the two B-25s. It was something to keep my interest at the bench up knowing it wouldn't be as involved as the pair of twins. That, more than anything was the goal. And to build a Spitfire that wasn't from Tamiya. 

I didn't try to fix too many of the kit's faults so that helped. I've got another in the stash I'll throw everything at later. 

Otherwise, I did what some of you suggested, used CA for filler, painted it with fast drying paints and by using masks, skip much of the decalling and requisite clear coats.

Carl

 

[BlrwestSiR]

For a real speed build, I'll switch subjects and scale and build a Bandai Start Wars kit. This took about 45 minutes. No glue or paint. Just a pair of sprue cutters and a file.

Even the cat approved of it.

Although she did try to eat it later.

Carl

[1to1scale]

My airplane record for a 1/32 was my Revell P-51, coincidentally, it was my most hated build. Nothing fit with paint on it, and it had sink marks and needed filler everywhere!

50 days = Hasegawa KI-84, masks, no decals, heavy weathering 

37 days = Trumpeter P-40B, masks, no decals

30 days = Revell BF-109G6, Masks, stencil decals

26 days = Hobbycraft P-51A, Masks, no decals, scratch cockpit, heavy filler and sanding.

21 days = Revell P-51D, OOB build, Eagle decals. 

[smitty44]

Tamiya F-16, the F-15E takes about a gallon of paint so that will slow things down considerably. I have to say I just finished the WNW Junkers D.1 and it was an amazing build. If I really had just sat down and went for it I would have had her done lickety split. Still finished it in about three weeks.

 

[harv]

smashing build Smitty.....Harv  

[Jeff]

2 minutes ago, harv said:

smashing build Smitty.....Harv  

I agree, that prop is excellent

[Clunkmeister]

My fastest build time wise was a KittyHawk T-28B that I built straight OOB other than belts. I did it in 6 days. 

Then a Tamiya A6M2 I knocked out in 3 weeks.

Tamiya P-51D in a month.

Hasegawa 109F in a month or so.

I’ve gotta be an odd duck.  This’ll sound crazy, but I find Tamiya kits boring.  They’re perfect. I got half through my Birdcage and placed it on the SOD.

Resin’s more my game, but too much of that fries the brain as well.

[smitty44]

1 hour ago, Clunkmeister said:

My fastest build time wise was a KittyHawk T-28B that I built straight OOB other than belts. I did it in 6 days. 

Then a Tamiya A6M2 I knocked out in 3 weeks.

Tamiya P-51D in a month.

Hasegawa 109F in a month or so.

I’ve gotta be an odd duck.  This’ll sound crazy, but I find Tamiya kits boring.  They’re perfect. I got half through my Birdcage and placed it on the SOD.

Resin’s more my game, but too much of that fries the brain as well.

You kidder you, we know you don't finish kits.

[Peterpools]

I think I set a record for the most amount of starts and only a few finishes this year. Hopefully over the winter, I'll be able to go back and clean some of the SOD up.

Peter

[Clunkmeister]

3 hours ago, smitty44 said:

You kidder you, we know you don't finish kits.

I do but it takes awhile. 

[Martinnfb]

Ernie is actually super productive , as only few modeller I know he's willing to undertake builds of models that dread due this complexity or lack of detail simply because there is nothing else around. Guts and dedication .

[Clunkmeister]

Checks in the mail, Martin. 

[Martinnfb]

30% off as of today LOL

[smitty44]

39 minutes ago, Clunkmeister said:

Checks in the mail, Martin. 

Martin would prefer you not send any Czechs, unless it's those Eduard fellows.

[HubertB]

How about a reverse speed record ?

I have on the SoD an Aichi Hansa, a licence-built Japanese version of the HB W-29, engined with an Hispano V8, that I started scratchbuilding BEFORE WnW ever existed, some 10 years ago ... Ditto for a Planet model Bü-131, that I started at about the same time ... For my defense about the Bücker, the wings stopped me in my tracks, as they have a wrong backward sweep (not enough). That’s my excuse anyway  . And now, ICM have come with an IM one 

But I intend to finish this Hansa, at least ...

Hubert